Bad genetics or a freak year?

[Nrharris]

Was wondering other guys' thoughts on if this buck has bad genetics or just a freak year that made him like this. I have no history of the deer and only one set of pictures. I did see him driving around tonight and looks like a big bodied deer. Just curious if the chance comes up if he should be removed from the gene pool or see what another year brings?

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[sirrloin]

Last year we had one and this year I got one just like that as well. Not sure if it's cause by injury or what

 

[Sligh1]

Not usually genetics. That’s generally injury.

 

[Nrharris]

So if its injury he will probably keep the rough side? I guess I wont worry about it if he isnt passing on bad genetics because I like the split g2 on the right side. I've seen several bucks around with split g2's.

 

[Broot]

Qdma had a good article titled “Spike On One Side: Genetics or Injury?”.

...Most commonly, it appeared that antlers had failed to cleanly separate from the pedicles (as in normally shed antlers) and that the antler base had fractured off portions of the pedicle and sometimes even the surrounding cranium – those “dirty” sheds I mentioned earlier. Although the antlerogenic periosteum tries to heal itself in advance of the next antler growing season, the integrity of the pedicle is compromised and becomes a messy combination of intact pedicle and callus tissue. Picture how water flows out of the end of a garden hose, then picture what happens when you partially block the nozzle with your thumb. The blood supply and nutrient flow necessary for normal antler development is impeded leading to stunted growth and irregular antler configurations due to the animal’s prior injury. Complicating the issue once initial damage occurs, subsequent antler cycles tend to re-aggravate the injury, resulting in repetitive abnormal antlers...

 

[Nrharris]

Brook, thanks for posting about that article. That deer definitely gets a pass. Not going to hurt anything to let him go and see if he can grow out of it. What I got from the article is some do and some don't. But with the non-selective shotgun hunters around I'm sure they wont hesitate to put him down.

 

[StickersNKickers]

Could be a toss up of the cause. We had a few bucks running around a few years ago that had typical antlers on one side and just a fork on the other. Considering there were multiple bucks like that in the same year, I considered it to be genetics.